Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into grant agreements with the Gateway Film Foundation and the Short North Alliance in support of community arts events.
Beginning in January, the Gateway Film Center will present “Pioneers of African-American Cinema,” a 2023 Winter Season collection of the works of America's legendary first African-American filmmakers. The program is a partnership with Kino Lorber, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, and the Black Ohio Film Group. This unique partnership will feature selected feature films and short films, on screen at the Film Center, and a Gallery at Gateway Film Center installation featuring video and still images from hundreds of hours of "lost" films created by early 20th century African-American filmmakers.
Curated by Gateway Film Center CEO Christopher Hamel, Charles Musser (Yale University), Jacqueline Najuma Stewart (University of Chicago) and Columbus artist Marshall Shorts, and produced in association with the Library of Congress, the British Film Institute, the George Eastman Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Archives, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Southern Methodist University, and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, this program is essential viewing for patrons and supporters around the world. In 2023, from January 5 through March 23, audiences will come together to discover and celebrate these bold, creative filmmakers and their amazing and largely unseen works.
The Short North Alliance (SNA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving both the property owners and business owners of the Short North Arts District. The mission of the Short North Alliance is to nurture the Short North Arts District as a vibrant, creative, and inclusive community and leading arts destination.
One of the ways the SNA raises money for its members is through festivals and community events. These events, including Highball Halloween, draw thousands of visitors from throughout the Central Ohio region to help reinforce the image of the Short North neighborhood as one of the premier economic drivers in the State of Ohio. Highball Halloween is billed as “the nation’s most elaborate costume party…bridging runway style with the culture of the Short North Arts District.” This year’s Highball Halloween takes place on October 22, 2022.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available to support these grants within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested to ensure that funding is available to organizations in advance of the supported events.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into grant agreements with the Gateway Film Foundation and the Short North Alliance in support of community arts events; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($20,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Gateway Film Center will present “Pioneers of African-American Cinema,” a 2023 Winter Season collection of the works of America's legendary first African-American filmmakers; and
WHEREAS, from January 5 through March 23, audiences will come together to discover and celebrate these bold, creative filmmakers and their amazing and largely unseen works; and
WHEREAS, the Short North Alliance (SNA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving both the property owners and business owners of the Short North Arts District; and
WHEREAS, Highball Halloween is billed as “the nation’s most elaborate costume party…bridging runway style with the culture of the Short North Arts District;” and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Clerk to enter into grant agreements to ensure that funding is available to organizations in advance of the supported events; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into grant agreements with the Gateway Film Foundation and the Short North Alliance in support of community arts events:
• Gateway Film Foundation: Pioneers of African-American Cinema - $10,000.00
• Short North Alliance: Highball Halloween - $10,000.00
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $20,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the City Clerk per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $20,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.